Acaraje

Recipe difficulty: Easy

0 of 5

Serves: Up to 4 people

’Acarajè is the most typical street food in the state of Bahia. On every corner of the old town of Salvador, old women dressed in the typical Bahian costume prepare this tasty snack. The “acarajè” is fried in “dendè” – oil of palm – which often causes intestinal problems for tourists who aren’t accustomed to it. For a more digestible version use peanut oil when you make these.Soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in a food processor or blender and chop fine. Add the onion and the salt, mix well. With a spoon, take up some of the mixture and form little balls that you then fry in hot (170°C) oil. Fry the acarajè on both sides and drain on paper towel.These snacks are generally split in half and served with dried or fried shrimp, hot sauce, diced tomatoes and “vatapà” – a creamy mixture of fish and vegetables. You can substitute mashed potatoes for the “vatapà”.